The revived to the temple of Alexy the Man of God in Krasnoye Selo

Needless to say, how much importance for the revival of the spiritual life of Russia was the return of the church taken away from it in former years of temples. Even those who escaped destruction needed radical reconstruction and large-scale restoration work. One of them became a temple on the territory of the former Krasnoselsky Novo-Alekseevsky monastery.

Abode in a roadside village

According to the available archival materials, the Church of Alexy the Man of God in Krasnoe Selo near Moscow was built in 1853. The place of its erection was the Novo-Alekseevsky convent. This monastery has a long history. Founded in 1360 on Ostozhenka near the Kremlin walls, she was repeatedly transferred to her new place in her long life, until in 1837 she finally established herself in Krasnoe Selo.

The settlement in which the monastery is located is also very ancient. It was founded in the XII century, and the earliest chronicle mentioning it dates back to 1480. There was a village on an important trade route, called the Stromyn road, so most of its inhabitants, who kept private carriage and inns, had prosperity. Red was named after the nearby pond, so vast that it was equal in size to the area of the Moscow Kremlin.

The Church of Alexy the Man of God in Krasnoye Selo was not the first unique building built on the territory of the monastery. For more than two centuries before it was built a temple, in honor of the same saint, who became one of the masterpieces of Russian church architecture of the XVII century.

Difficulties of the first years in a new place

In the first years after the relocation of the monastery to a new place, its inhabitants felt an extreme lack of material resources. If earlier their abode, which was in the center of Moscow, was continuously visited by a large number of pilgrims who supplemented the monastery treasury, now they were deprived of these cash receipts.

Living exclusively by income from their meager household, the sisters were forced to endure extreme inconveniences, and sometimes even simply starve. The situation was somewhat improved after in 1867 they were allowed to create a cemetery at the monastery, where burial of the surrounding inhabitants could be made. Since that time, the funeral services, commemoration services and other similar services began to be performed regularly in the monastery church. This to some extent eased the situation of the women.

Elevation of the monastery in the XIX century

Over time, the monastery became important in the spiritual life of Russia. She enjoyed the special protection of not only the synodal leadership, but also many representatives of the reigning house. Of course, this had a very positive impact on her financial situation, and thanks to her generous donations, she was able to reconstruct former buildings and build new ones.

This period includes the construction of an almshouse in the monastery, which contained up to sixty elderly and sick women. Funds for its erection were donated by a wealthy Moscow patron, the widow of the merchant of the first guild, Prokhor Semenovich Volkov.

Temple, which became an outstanding architectural work

The temple of Alexy the Man of God preserved in Krasnoye Selo, which has survived to this day, became one of the most famous works, the project of which belongs to the outstanding Moscow architect M. D. Bykovsky. He also became the author of sketches of the monastery wall, decorated with towers. In addition to the above-mentioned works, the architect of the Marfino estate near Moscow also received wide popularity .

The temple of Alexy the Man of God created by him in Krasnoye Selo (photos distributed in the article) was a spacious, somewhat elongated structure, completed with semicircular apses - voluminous projections, inside which the altars are located. Its roof is crowned with a huge dome, resting on the light drum, that is, a structure that has vertical window slots on all sides.

Attracts attention and unusually rich exterior decoration of the building. When it was created, the architect was motivated by motifs drawn from Russian church architecture of the 16th-17th century. It is for the buildings of this period that elements such as decorative columns with melons are characteristic - a kind of architectural element that was thickened, resembling a melon in shape, as well as all sorts of arches with a keeled finish.

The temple of Alexy the Man of God in Krasnoye Selo was invariably famous for its interior decoration. In it were collected many values, donated to the monastery by its rich patrons. They also transferred icons and church utensils from the former, Alekseevsky monastery.

Monastic life interrupted by revolution

Until 1927 the monastery continued to function, but then it was closed, the villagers were expelled, and the territory and the buildings located on it were transferred to the municipal public utilities. At that time, the structure of the ruined monastery included four temple buildings, of which only two survived to the present day.

In one of them - the former temple of All Saints - the state archive was arranged, and this saved him from destruction. The other building is the temple of Alexy the Man of God in Krasnoe Selo, whose address is: Moscow 2-nd Krasnoselsky lane, house 3, was converted, and it housed the House of Pioneers. In a rebuilt form, grossly distorting its original appearance, it also survived to the present day.

A sad fate befell the monastery cemetery, on which were buried many famous people. After the revolution, it was razed to the ground, and most of the burials became a victim of robbers. Later on the site of the cemetery was arranged park, and then paved in this place the motorway, which exists to this day.

Return of the shrine and work for its revival

During the years of perestroika, the public of Krasnoye Selo and the leadership of the Moscow Patriarchate appealed to government bodies to transfer the Alekseevsky Church to the ownership of the Church. In 1991, a positive decision was made, and immediately the builders and restorers undertook the work. Since the scope of work was very large, they were completed only in 2002. At the same time, his solemn consecration was performed.

Today, among other shrines, once taken away from the church, but returned to it in the years of perestroika, the temple of Alexy the Man of God in Krasnoye Selo took its place. Schedule of services: daily, except Sundays, early services begin at 8:00, and evening at 17:00; On holidays and weekends, a late Liturgy is added to them, the beginning of which is at 9:00.